Nigerian singer Yemi Alade has criticized fellow musicians who downplay the Afrobeats genre. She believes it’s fine if artists feel Afrobeats doesn’t represent their style, but she finds it hypocritical for them to dismiss the genre, given its significant role in the success of many Nigerian artists.
On her X (formerly Twitter) account, the singer of the hit song ‘Johnny’ shared her thoughts.
“I don’t see anything wrong in informing your listeners of the genre of music an artist makes especially when you feel it doesn’t define your art.
“Just Announce your Genre in peace. Downplaying the role Afrobeats has played in every artist’s development is hypocrisy.”
Alade’s reaction came in response to some Nigerian artists, including Davido, Wizkid, and Burna Boy, who have recently distanced themselves from the Afrobeats label. These artists argue that they don’t want to be pigeonholed into Afrobeats, as it doesn’t fully capture their diverse musical influences.
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